Acts 19
1AND it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper districts came to Ephesus. And finding certain disciples,
2he said to them: Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they said to him: Nay, we did not even hear whether there is a Holy Spirit.
3And he said to them: Unto what then were ye immersed? And they said: Unto John's immersion.
4Then said Paul: John indeed immersed with the immersion of repentance; saying to the people, that they should believe on him who should come after him, that is, on Jesus.
5And when they heard this, they were immersed in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6And Paul having laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied.
7And all the men were about twelve.
8And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9But when some were hardened, and believed not, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
10And this continued for two years; so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul;
12so that also there were carried from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out from them.
13Then some of the wandering Jewish exorcists took upon them to name, over those who had the evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying: I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.
14And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.
15And the evil spirit answering said: Jesus I know, and Paul I well know; but who are ye?
16And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against both, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who dwelt at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18And many of the believers came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.
19Many of those also who practiced curious arts brought together the books, and burned them before all; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
21When these things were ended, Paul purposed to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia; saying: After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
22And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
23And about that time, there arose no small tumult concerning the Way.
24For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsmen;
25whom he called together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said: Sirs, ye well know that by this craft we have our wealth.
26Moreover ye see and hear, that this Paul has persuaded and turned aside much people, not only of Ephesus, but of almost all Asia, saying that they are not gods, which are made with hands.
27And there is danger to us, not only that this branch of business will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be accounted nothing, and her magnificence will be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.
28And hearing it, they became full of wrath, and continued crying out, saying: Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
29And the whole city was filled with confusion; and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel.
30And Paul wishing to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
31And some also of the chiefs of Asia, being his friends, sent to him, entreating him not to adventure himself into the theatre.
32Some therefore were crying one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused, and the greater part knew not wherefore they had come together.
33And they brought forward Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews thrusting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, desiring to make his defense to the people.
34But when they knew that he was a Jew, one voice arose from all, crying about two hours: Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
35And the town-clerk, having quieted the people, said: Men of Ephesus, what human being is there, who knows not that the city of the Ephesians is keeper of the great Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
36These things being therefore undeniable, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
37For ye brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples, nor blasphemers of your goddess.
38If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open[19:38], and there are proconsuls; let them implead one another.
39But if ye make any demand concerning other matters, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly.
40For we are in danger of being called in question for this day's riot, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
41And having thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.